aiptasia control

DayFive · #1 09/21/2007, 05:31 PM

Anyone have a proven method to get rid of aiptasia with out chemicals? I have tried squirting them with lemon juice and that works if you hit it just right but seems to be hard to do that. I have also heard that coral banded shrimp will eat aiptasia.

Thx,

Josh

kawicivic · #2 09/21/2007, 05:38 PM

peppermint shrimp eat aiptasia (just bought one for this purpose)
cb shrimp eat bristleworms

you can also squirt with kalkwasser or joe's juice

bmb527 · #3 09/21/2007, 06:17 PM

Regarding "squirting" them w/ anything, I was told it is best to inject them w/ a syringe using kalk or joes juice. I bought a syringe @ Keys Island, I think it was a buck. HTH
Bill

EriksReptiles · #4 09/21/2007, 09:31 PM

Ya, Just try to squirt them right in there opening wil the Kalk and they shrivel right up!

Thanks Erik

26bowfront · #5 09/21/2007, 10:38 PM

The most natural way is to use either a peppermint shrimp or a copperband butterfly. There can be an issue with the butterflys if you have featherdusters, coco worms, lps, and a few others things as they sometimes enjoy picking at them but not always it is usually a hit or miss thing. Also copperbands can be harded to keep. I would definately try the peppermint shrimp first.

artful-dodger · #6 09/21/2007, 10:41 PM

The most foolproof (and disruptive) way I've found is to remove a few rocks at a time and put them into another tank with a few peppermints and no other food. They'll clean all the aiptasia within a couple of days. Then cycle the rock. In my experience the peppermints fall prey to predation (CBS, wrasses, hawks) that might otherwise be great reef inhabitants. I got tired of hosting luncheons $20 of peppermints.

kawicivic · #7 09/21/2007, 10:44 PM

for the squirting most people say to squirt their base and not their mouths... i guess when squirting the base they tend to close up and shrivel up with the liquid inside which gives a better chance of killing them... never used the injection method though so it is all heresay

DayFive · #8 09/21/2007, 10:57 PM

Right now I have all my fish in a hospital tank for black spot ick so it might be a good time to put in some peppermint shrimp and let them go to work.

scouter · #9 09/25/2007, 12:14 AM

I had a big problem about 9 months ago. I got a copper banded butterfly and he got rid of all of them in about 2 weeks. He died last week though. The downside to them is you have to feed them misis shrimp or other frozen shrimp. They wont eat any other food.

webyourbusiness · #10 09/26/2007, 11:58 AM

if you need a small syringe with needle, go to your local pharmacy - a walmart pharmacy is fine - I'm on bi-weekly shots and I don't even need a prescription for more hypodermics. Small 1cc syringes with needs are about $0.30 I think. I generally buy 30-40 at a time and it's peanuts per syringe.

DayFive · #11 09/27/2007, 03:55 PM

Thanks I will go get another syringe and keep squirting the aptasia. I put a peppermint shrimp in there too but he was kinda of small and I havent seen him since he was introduced. Thanks for the info

Josh

webyourbusiness · #12 09/27/2007, 04:50 PM

I did my regular shot this morning - my syringes are 3ml - and I reckon they'd be perfect for poking an aptaisia ...